Introduction to Semaglutide
Drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk says semaglutide, the active ingredient in the weight-loss vaccine Wegovy, does not slow Alzheimer’s disease – despite initial hopes that it might help against dementia. Researchers launched two large studies involving more than 3,800 people after reporting that the drug had real-world effects.
Study Results
However, the studies showed that the drug GLP-1, already used to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, made no difference compared to a dummy drug. The disappointing results are due to be presented at an Alzheimer’s conference next month and have yet to be published in a scientific journal.
Reaction to the Findings
Dr. Susan Kohlhaas said the findings were a huge blow to people suffering from Alzheimer’s. Martin Holst Lange, chief scientific officer and executive vice president of research and development at Novo Nordisk, said: "Due to the significant unmet need in Alzheimer’s disease and a number of indicative data points, we felt a responsibility to explore the potential of semaglutide, even if the probability of success is low."
Details of the Evoke Trials
Patients participating in the Evoke trials were between 55 and 85 years old and had mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia progression was monitored and measured through tests and interviews. Treatment with semaglutide resulted in improvement in biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease, but this did not result in a delay in disease progression.
Future Direction
Dr. Kohlhaas said: "These study results are another reminder that Alzheimer’s is caused by different biological processes. No single approach is likely to be sufficient." “The field must now focus on understanding these processes in much greater detail and developing treatments that can be used together to combat the disease from multiple perspectives.” She added that the increasing use of GLP-1 drugs on private prescriptions, primarily for weight loss, presents an opportunity to collect better real-world data on their longer-term effects.
Ongoing Research
Fiona Carragher said while it was "very disappointing" that these highly anticipated results were not what everyone had hoped, "no trial is wasted". “Every study helps us to develop better drugs and design better studies in the future.” She said more than 130 Alzheimer’s drugs are currently in clinical trials, with about 30 in late-stage testing – the final step before they are reviewed by regulators.
